and became their sister,
so now I will get my revenge on her. Next year she will be riding and
driving her brothers and she won't know it."

When the third brother failed to return, the sister cried and begged the
last one not to venture out in search of them. But go he must, and go he
did, only to do as his three brothers had done.

Now the poor sister was nearly distracted. Day and night she wandered
over hills and through woods in hopes she might find or hear of some
trace of them. Her wanderings were in vain. The hawks had not seen them
after they had crossed the little stream. The wolves and coyotes told
her that they had seen nothing of her brothers out on the broad plains,
and she had given them up for dead.

One day, as she was sitting by the little stream that flowed past their
hut, throwing pebbles into the water and wondering what she should do,
she picked up a pure white pebble, smooth and round, and after looking
at it for a long time, threw it into the water. No sooner had it hit the
water than she saw it grow larger. She took it out and looked at it and
threw it in again. This time it had assumed the form of a baby. She took
it out and threw it in the third time and the form took life and began
to cry: "Ina, ina" (mother, mother). She took the baby home and fed it
soup, and it being an unnatural baby, quickly grew up to a good sized
boy. At the end of three months he was a good big, stout youth. One day
he said: "Mother, why are you living here alone? To whom do all these
fine clothes and moccasins belong?" She then told him the story of
her lost brothers. "Oh, I know now where they are. You make me lots of
arrows. I am going to find my uncles." She tried to dissuade him from
going, but he was determined and said: "My father sent me to you so that
I could find my uncles for you, and nothing can harm me, because I am
stone and my name is 'Stone Boy'."

The mother, seeing that he was determined to go, made a whole quiver
full of arrows for him, and off he started. When he came to the old
witch's hut, she was nowhere to be seen, so he pushed the door in and
entered. The witch was busily engaged cooking dinner.

"Why, my dear grandchild, you are just in time for dinner. Sit down and
we will eat before you continue your journey." Stone boy sat down and
ate dinner with the old witch. She watched him very closely, but when
she would be drinking her soup he would glance hastily around the room.
Finally he s